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Thorarin
Contributor
Contributor

Workstation 15.5.5 performance hit

Just a couple of hours ago, I've updated from 15.5.1 (?) to version 15.5.5 of Workstation Pro.

I've been exited about this update, especially being able to use WSL2 on my developer system is a plus.

However, immediately after updating, I noticed a quite dramatic performance hit.

My mouse cursor doesn't even move fluently anymore, it hangs and stutters a lot.

I haven't installed Hyper-V related services yet.

Anyone else experiencing this?

System summary:

i9-10940X, 64GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070.

Running Windows 10 1909 still.

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68 Replies
Susie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

I think the vm-support logs are more helpful, and kindly please upload your log and help us investigate it.

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jfmackay
Contributor
Contributor

I am hitting the WSL2/Hyper-V performance and crashing issues as well. I am using this VM from Microsoft: Download a Windows 10 virtual machine - Windows app development

My host has a Xeon CPU with many cores, 128GB of ram, Nvidia GPUs. Before installing any Hyper-V related Windows Components VmWare was AMAZING. It was crazy fast and just awesome, I had downloaded a trial version and was just about to purchase the full Professional Workstation product. But I need WSL2 on my dev box and I was excited when I read that VMWare was compatible so I installed it. Two things happened:

1) The Microsoft provided VM will no longer boot with anything more than 3 VCPUs. Error is a blue screen "SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED".
2) Performance is unusable. 100% CPU utilization, System Interrupts and other calls taking waaaay too long. Something is terribly wrong.

Happy to help you guys debug this. I have uploaded my traces to your ftp site. Please contact me.

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RDPetruska
Leadership
Leadership

You don't say whether you are using 15.5.5 or 15.5.6.  Or what your host OS and version are.

You may want to try the Workstation Tech Preview, 20H2 July 2020 version.

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jfmackay
Contributor
Contributor

In my case I have the latest released version: 15.5.6 build-16341506

I will give the tech preview a try.

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jfmackay
Contributor
Contributor

No joy on the 2020H2 July tech preview. Behavior is in fact a little bit worse. Windows 10 VMs now crash with any more than 2 vCPUs (previously they could use 3, originally, before installing WSL2, they could use 4). Speed is still unbearably slow. I did try disabling side channel mitigations per the pop-up in 2020H2 but this had no noticeable effect. Host machine is running Windows 10 2004, build 19041.388. all

Window Features:
  Hyper-V: disabled (tried toggling Hyper-V platform, no change in behavior)

  Microsoft Defender Application Guard: enabled

  Virtual Machine Platform: enabled

  Windows Hypervisor Platform: enabled

  Windows Subsystem For Linux (default WSL2): enabled

  Docker for WSL2: enabled (Docker Desktop WSL 2 backend | Docker Documentation )

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Everest2020
Contributor
Contributor

I just checked the option "Disable side channel mitigations for Hyper-V enabled hosts", it seems better than unchecked before.

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scott28tt
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Remember that the TechPreview is a beta, I believe it has additional logging/debugging turned on by default.

That version also has a dedicated forum area: VMware Fusion Pro Tech Preview


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jfmackay
Contributor
Contributor

I have uninstalled every Hyper-V related component, rebooted and tested vmware performance, until the last one was WSL + Windows Virtual Machine Platform (these are coupled). That last removal finally restored performance to reasonable levels (modulo some hit probably due to logging in 2020H2 beta). So at this point I am feeling pretty confident in assessing that for my setup WSL2 and VmWare are not usable together. If this set up works for others then it would be interesting to see what is causing the issue.

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

Hyper-V WSL2 and docker desktop

I have the same issue

vmware unuseable

Intel i7 8700k

16G mem

Rtx 2600

hotvooboy

hahakiki2010

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

it's a way to reslove the problem

but it's not the best way i think

hotvooboy

hahakiki2010

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

this is full log

hotvooboy

hahakiki2010

hotvooboy

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hahakiki2010
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

AaronChang​,

Really thanks for your uploading. Could u also help to upload the stats logs that in the stats folder under the VM folder as well? It would be more helpful to investigate the performance issue.

Thanks,

Best Regards,

Yan

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

hahakiki2010

I can't find the stats log,

my vmware install path is:D:\Software\VMWare

my vmware guest os path is:F:\VMOS\Windows 7 x64

can you give me a full path what base on my environment.

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hahakiki2010
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

It's normally under the VM folder. In your test environment, it shall be in a folder naming like F:\VMOS\Windows 7 x64\stats.

If it's not generated, could u help check if the stats debugging is enabled in the VM setting of your guest? You can check it by VM setting -> Options -> Advanced -> Gather debugging information as Capture below. Set it to full if the stats option is not enabled.

BTW, I noticed you're using a win7VM? Could u disable the aero theme in the guest and see if the performance has any improvement? Thanks

Best Regards,

Yan

pastedImage_1.png

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

I just create a virtual machine(BIOS type), and not install any os

Then boot into the bios, the bios is very slowly,I will sent you a video and logs later

hahakiki2010

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

hahakiki2010

there are one log  and 2 videos

normal video is recoded when hyper-v is turned off by bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off then reboot your host os

slow video is recoded when hyper-v is turned on by bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto then reboot your host os

Of course all the premise here is that you must install hyper v on windows 10 2004

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Alex1T
Contributor
Contributor

I've also experienced significant perfomance degradation which made using virtualized MacOS X not usable. That happed after updating Windows 10 to 2004 version and enabling WSL 2. Also I had to update VMWare Workstation to latest version 15.5.6 (from 15.5.1) for it to able to start VM.

Today I tested and created a new boot option for Windows with Hyper-V Off, booted it and VM performance returned to normal. But the WSL is not working (but I need it too). So thankfully I don't need them simultaneously and I can switch between them with reboot option. Seems like a solution for now.

AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

It's so sad that I need them simultaneously :smileycry:

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Alex1T
Contributor
Contributor

That's bad. I also hope for a solution without reboot.

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AaronChang
Contributor
Contributor

hahakiki2010

hi.

Are u get the logs and videos?

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